Parents and Children Together: Spotlight on Responsible Fatherhood Programs and the Men They Serve

Dec 07, 2017 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Location

Washington, DC, and OnlineWashington, DC, and Online

Research shows that fathers want to be involved in their children’s lives. For many low-income fathers, complex and interrelated life challenges can limit their ability to be present and provide for their children. The desire to address these challenges is the motivation for many fathers to enroll in a Responsible Fatherhood (RF) grant program, which provides services in parenting education, employment and economic stability, and healthy marriage and relationship skills.

Through the Parents and Children Together (PACT) evaluation, conducted on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (Office of Family Assistance and Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation), Mathematica researchers are contributing to the evidence base regarding approaches to increase positive father involvement in children’s lives.

On December 7, a powerful discussion with PACT researchers, RF program administrators, and RF program participants, shared their experiences and what they learned.

Welcoming Remarks:

Seth Chamberlain, Senior Social Science Research Analyst, Office of Planning Research and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Robin McDonald, Division Director State Territory TANF Management, Office of Family Assistance (OFA), Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Parents and Children Together (PACT) is a six-year evaluation of the Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood grant program to help couples build and sustain healthy relationships and marriages, and to strengthen positive father-child interaction.

In-depth qualitative interviews with a subset of low-income fathers participating in a Responsible Fatherhood program offer insights into the nature of fathers’ co-parenting relationships with their children’s mothers, the tenor of these relationships, and the fathers’ efforts to co-parent their children.

Findings from the qualitative study of the Parents and Children Together evaluation offer insight into the social networks of low-income fathers and the organizational supports they turn to for assistance.